Used
Used Mercury 25HP Outboard
SKU MER-25HP-U | Serial 2B4-9995731
$1,500
- Shaft
- Long, 20in
- Start
- Electric start
- Steering
- Tiller steering
- Trim
- Manual tilt
- Warranty
- 90 day parts and labor warranty from us, or the balance of factory cover if it runs longer.
- Serial number
- 2B4-9995731, printed on your invoice and matched to the unit that ships.
- Payment
- Bank transfer, Apple Pay, Chime and Zelle. Crypto takes 15 percent off the engine price.
Add to your order
Shipped in the same crate, so there is no second freight charge.
Propeller, pitched to order
Send boat length, weight and use and we pitch it for you.
$420
First Service Kit
The twenty hour service, boxed with the engine.
$148
Used Mercury 25HP Outboard for Sale
Buy a used Mercury 25HP outboard for sale online, a 1985 engine on a 20 inch long shaft with electric start and tiller steering. Twenty five horsepower is the size that gets a small aluminum boat properly on plane with two people aboard, and electric start takes the work out of using it. At forty years old this is one of the cheapest ways to put real power on a small transom, and engines from this era are simple enough that any mechanic can keep them running. What decides it is compression, and we have the figures. Order it from the page, or ask us for those numbers and photographs before you commit.
Supplied with
- Engine, cowling and mounting hardware, factory assembled
- Owner manual, warranty booklet and registration certificate
- Propeller not included on engines from 40hp up, pitched to order on request
- Remote control box, cables and rigging tube available as an add on
- First service kit available at checkout, oil filter and gear oil
Not sure on shaft length
Measure vertically from the top of the transom to the lowest point of the hull. Fifteen inches takes a short shaft, twenty inches a long shaft, twenty five inches an extra long. This engine is a long shaft, 20in.
What 25HP does that 15HP does not
Fifteen horsepower will plane a light jon boat with one person aboard. Twenty five will plane it with two people and their gear, which is what most owners actually want.
That difference is the whole reason 25 is such a common size on small aluminum hulls. It is the step from an engine that moves the boat to an engine that gets it up and going.
It is also the point where electric start becomes worth having. At 25 horsepower a recoil pull is a real effort, and it does not get easier over the years.
Mercury 25HP specs as listed
| Specification | This Mercury 25 |
|---|---|
| Model year | 1985 |
| Output | 25 horsepower at the propeller shaft |
| Engine type | Four stroke |
| Shaft length | 20 inch, long |
| Starting | Electric, key switch |
| Steering | Tiller handle |
| Trim and tilt | Manual tilt |
| Condition | Used, compression tested before listing |
Buying a forty year old outboard
At this age the year on the cowling is close to meaningless and the condition is everything.
Compression is the first and most important number. We record it before listing and will send it to you.
After that: whether the electric start and charging circuit work properly, the state of the fuel system, the gear oil, and how the engine was stored. Ask all four and we will answer them.
What you are buying is a simple engine that any competent marine mechanic can work on without specialist software. That counts for a lot on a boat used at weekends.
What a 25HP tiller outboard suits
Jon boats, small aluminum fishing hulls, skiffs and inflatables, run from the stern with the deck kept clear.
A 20 inch long shaft suits a standard transom. Many jon boats take 15 inches instead, so measure before ordering. More at this size on tiller outboard motors, and the E-TEC alternative is the 2014 Evinrude E-TEC 25HP.
Checking the electrics on a used Mercury 25HP
On an engine with electric start, the electrical system is where age shows first, and it is easy to test before you buy.
The starter itself should spin the engine briskly rather than labor. A slow crank is usually a battery, a cable or a corroded terminal rather than the starter, but it needs finding either way.
The charging circuit matters if you run lights or a fish finder. A stator that has failed will start the engine happily and never put anything back, and you will not notice until the battery goes flat a long way from the ramp.
Then the wiring itself, particularly at the connectors and anywhere it has been repaired. On a forty year old engine the harness is often the most tired thing on it. Ask us for photographs of the wiring and the charging output.
Frequently asked questions
Is 25HP much better than 15HP?
On a loaded boat, yes. A 15 will plane a light jon boat with one person aboard. A 25 will do it with two people and gear, which is what most owners actually need.
Is a 1985 outboard worth buying?
If the compression is good and the electrics work, it can be excellent value. At this age condition decides everything, and these engines are simple enough for any mechanic to service.
Is electric start worth it at 25HP?
Most owners think so. A recoil start at 25 horsepower is a genuine effort. It needs a battery on board, which most boats this size have anyway.
What should I check on a 1985 Mercury 25HP?
Compression first, then whether the electric start and charging work, the fuel system condition, the gear oil, and how it was stored. Ask us all of it and we will answer.
Will a 20 inch Mercury 25HP fit my jon boat?
Many jon boats take 15 inches, so measure rather than assume. Top of the transom straight down to the hull bottom at the centerline, and send us the figure.
Specifications
- Horsepower
- 25hp at 5000 rpm
- Model year
- 1985
- Shaft length
- 20 in, long
- Starting system
- Electric, key switch
- Trim and tilt
- Manual tilt
- Steering
- Tiller handle
- Recommended fuel
- 87 octane minimum, unleaded
- Recommended oil
- Mercury FourStroke 10W-30
- Warranty
- 90 days parts and labor, or the balance of factory cover
- Recorded hours
- On request
Shipping and crating
The engine is bolted upright to a purpose built pallet, braced at the cowling and skinned before it leaves the warehouse. Crates are photographed on the dock and the photographs are attached to your order record.
Freight is curbside by default. The carrier calls ahead to arrange a delivery window, and you will need a second pair of hands or a tractor to take the crate off the truck. Liftgate service and delivery direct to an authorized dealer can both be added at checkout.
Standard transit is five to ten working days depending on zone, express is one to three. Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico are quoted separately.
| Destination zone | Freight on this engine | Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Standard freight | $100 | About a week |
| Express freight | $250 | 1 to 3 days |
Warranty
This used Mercury is compression tested, run on the dyno and listed with its hour count and service history. It carries a ninety day parts and labor warranty from us unless the balance of factory cover runs longer.
Warranty work can be carried out at any authorized Mercury dealer in the United States. You are not tied to us for servicing, and buying online does not shorten or void the factory cover.
The serial number on this listing, 2B4-9995731, is the unit that ships to you. It appears on your invoice and on the warranty registration.
3 years, extendable to 8 years
Extended service cover can be added within the first year. Ask the sales desk to add it to your invoice.
